County wants city to pay for planner

The City of Glendive wants to share the county’s planner, but the county wants the city to pay for the privilege.

The city has been operating without a planner since March. The city had been contracting with Mary Garfield from Circle for planning services, but Garfield chose not to renew her contract.

Mayor Jerry Jimison said being without a planner isn’t hurting the city just yet, but it will eventually.

“Right now, we’re kind of in between subdivision reviews or immediate need, but that time is fast approaching when we will need one down the road,” he said.

Jimison pointed out that both the city and county operated without a planner “for several years because neither had much growth.”

With the Bakken oil boom, that has changed. The county had been contracting separately with Garfield as well, before hiring Dianna Broadie as the full-time county planner last fall.

The city would like to use Broadie for planning issues inside Glendive city limits, but are making the argument that city residents shouldn’t be asked to pay for the position twice over.

“As of right now, the county believes the city should be obligated to pay more funds to the position beyond what city residents are already paying for through county tax,” Jimison said. “(Planner) is a county position, just like sanitarian, district court judge, clerk, etc. Those positions are all funded through a county tax, and the city’s position at this time is we feel the city residents are contributing their share of what should fund that position.”

Jimison said he expects to reach a suitable resolution, saying it’s in the city and county’s best interest to work together.

“At this time, it doesn’t seem like any huge hurdles to climb over, because we agree both the city and county use the planner’s services,” he said. “Once we work together on something, it works a lot easier and a lot less painful.”